Archaeological Horizons | افاق اثرية

Archaeological Horizons (افاق اثرية) is the name of an Arabic-language periodical about Libyan archaeology, archaeological sites, museums, and all other related matters. It was founded in July 2011, during an explosion of print media that occurred once cities like Benghazi were free of the regime, and its most recent issue appeared in September 2014. All 19 issues of the periodical are available for free download as PDFs at the following site: http://afaqatherya.com/

The periodical is full of all sorts of interesting information—there are articles about numerous different sites in Libya (from ancient to early modern), news about digs and expeditions, calls for action regarding antiquities lost during the regime or during the revolution, and even the occasional publication (and translation into Arabic if necessary) of Islamic grave inscriptions or pre-Islamic ones. Foreign works on Libyan archaeological matters are also taken into notice; for example, in Issue 19 (2014), the 2013 volume of the journal Libyan Studies is reviewed.

For those who are interested in the entire gamut of Libyan archaeology — from the perspective of Libyan writers(!) — this periodical provides great starting points as well as up-to-date news. Given recent upheavals in Libya, its publication has no doubt had to take a break, but here’s hoping we see Issue 20 in the near future…